Trinamool’s ‘balm’ for FTII students criticised

The CPI-M and the BJP on Sunday ridiculed West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress for sending three of its MPs to Pune to express solidarity with FTII students, protesting against the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as the institute’s chairman.

Picture credit: dnaindia.in

Lok Sabha members Abhishek Banerjee and Satabdi Roy and Rajya Sabha chief whip Derek O’Brien will be interacting with the Film and Television Institute of India students on Monday.

The decision was announced on Saturday, a day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged the Narendra Modi government to resolve the impasse.

Incidentally, the announcement of the visit came on a day when the Trinamool’s students wing – Trinamool Chhatra Parishad – took out a rally here denouncing student agitation in Presidency University.

A section of the Presidency students have been demanding the resignation of vice chancellor Anuradha Lohia. They allege that she refused to act after several students were assaulted by police during the Friday visit of Mamata Banerjee to the university.

“The party which … has no regard for democratic values and principles is showing solidarity to a students’ movement. This is nothing but mockery,” CPI-M Rajya Sabha member Ritabrata Banerjee told IANS.

Banerjee, also the general secretary of the Students Federation of India, said the motive behind the Trinamool MPs’ visit to Pune was to derive political mileage.

“The Trinamool is feeling left out as the CPI-M has been championing the causes of the students,” added Banerjee.

Durga Puja in West Bengal has evolved into a platform of its cross-cultural and trans-boundary influences

Months of protests and violence in the Darjeeling hills has failed to dampen the spirit of the Nepali population in Siliguri and in state capital Kolkata

In Kolkata, the Nepali consulate is expected to host around 100 to 150 members of the community from different parts of Bengal on Dasain

Kolkata/Siliguri, September 22, 2017: From goddess Durga draped in traditional Nepali attire for the grand celebration of Dasain, to the resplendent White Temple of Thailand to glimpses of London and the US — Durga Puja in West Bengal is not only a showcase of the state’s artistic heritage but has also evolved into a platform of its cross-cultural and trans-boundary influences.

Geopolitical tensions notwithstanding, slices of soft diplomacy and globalisation are on show in a clutch of pandals (marquees) in the state.

Take Dasain celebrations in Siliguri, for example.

Months of protests and violence in the Darjeeling hills has failed to dampen the spirit of the Nepali population in Siliguri (located at the base of the hill) and in state capital Kolkata where they are gearing up to celebrate the Nepali version of Durga Puja with pomp and splendour.

Recognised by the splotches of vermillion, rice and curd (“tika”) on the foreheads and the prominent sprigs of barley sprouts (jamara) tucked behind one’s ear, Dasain or Vijaya Dashami — Nepal’s biggest festival — has been observed in Siliguri for 25 years by its oldest social organisation, Bhanu Bhakta Samiti.

“Dasain is celebrated with the participation of all communities: Nepali, Bengali, Marwari, Bihari and others. Everyone is welcomed and people, cutting across political party lines, join in the revelry. The Bengalis even offer ‘anjali’ (floral offerings). The Gorkhaland issue is a political one and we do not let it affect our celebrations,” Krishna Lama (Pemba) of the Samiti told IANS.

“We have been having the Durga idol since the last three years. From Sashthi (September 26), we will begin the worship of the protima (idol). She will be dressed in traditional attire and we have roped in designer Alka Sharma for the costumes. Jamara (pot with wheat sprouts) is indispensable to the festival,” Lama said.

Parents and older members of the family apply tika and place the jamara as blessings for the younger ones. The jamara also signifies “shakti”.

In Kolkata, the Nepali consulate is expected to host around 100 to 150 members of the community from different parts of Bengal on Dasain.

“Every year, for over 25 years, we have a Nepali Durga puja in front of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation building. Cultural programmes are organised and representatives of around 32 samitis (clubs) across Bengal join in,” an official of the consulate told IANS.

Meanwhile, the Deshapriya Park committee, which registered the highest footfall for a pandal last year with five million visitors, has in store a slice of Thailand — a popular tourist destination for travellers from east India, served well with 2.5 hour-long flights.

It has recreated the 20th century Wat Rong Khun temple (or the White Temple) located just outside Chiang Rai in northern Thailand. The detailed all-white exterior with mirror trimmings stands out in stark contrast against the grassy park lawns.

At Bhowanipore 75 <https://maps.google.com/?q=Bhowanipore+75&entry=gmail&source=g> Palli puja in south Kolkata, a stone’s throw from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence, a 40,000 square feet area has been converted into a typical London street. The theme is aligned to Banerjee’s vision of transforming Kolkata into London.

With 2017 being the Indo-UK Year of Culture, the club has tied up with the British Council and London Sharod Utsav.

“Big Ben and Westminster will also be replicated in the area. The idol is crafted from mahogany and brass and decorated with dokra art. Post-puja we are planning to install the idol permanently in any one of the famous institutions of the UK like the British museum or University of London,” Club Secretary Subir Das said.

The Star Spangled Banner is prominent at Badamtala Asar Sangha in south Kolkata. The club is calling its celebration ‘West Wind’ in consonance with the Year of US-India Travel and Tourism Partnership.

“Visually the pandal resembles a street in a hi-tech American city at night. The design is complete with skyscrapers and multi-hued buildings and lights,” said Snehasish, one of the artistic heads. (IANS)

Father, left and mother, center of the Indian student victim who was fatally gang raped on this day three years back on a moving bus in the Indian capital join others at a candle lit vigil in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015. VOA

Any kind of physical or mental harm towards women is deemed as “crime against women”

Domestic violence is the most dominant crime against women

Andhra Pradesh state is the highest to report crimes against women in the period of ten years

Sep 20, 2017: A report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) suggests that crimes against women have increased violently in the last ten years with an estimated figure of 2.24 million crimes. The figure is also suggestive of the fact: 26 crimes against women are reported every hour, or one complaint every two minutes, reports IndiaSpendanalysis.

The most dominant crime against women with 909,713 cases reported in last decade was ‘cruelty by husbands and relatives’ under section 498‐A of Indian Penal Code (IPC).

‘Assault on women’ booked under section 354 of IPC is the second-most-reported crime against women with 470,556 crimes.

‘Kidnapping and abduction of women’ are the third-most-reported crime with 315,074 crimes, followed by ‘rape’ (243,051), ‘insult to modesty of women’ (104,151) and ‘dowry death’ (80,833).

The NCRB report also listed three heads, namely commit rape (4,234), abetment of suicide of women (3,734) and protection of women from domestic violence (426) under which cases of crime against women have been reported in 2014.

Andhra Pradesh has reported the most crimes against women (263,839) over the past 10 years.

Andhra Pradesh state is the highest (263,839) to report crimes against women in the period of ten years. Crimes reported for insult (35,733) ranks first followed by cruelty by husband relatives (117,458), assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty (51,376) and dowry-related deaths (5,364).

West Bengal (239,760) is second most crime against women state followed by Uttar Pradesh (236,456), Rajasthan (188,928) and Madhya Pradesh (175,593).

Abduction increased up to three folds over the recent years, with Uttar Pradesh being the worst affected state. Cases rose from 15,750 cases in 2005 to 57,311 cases in 2014.

Prepared by Naina Mishra of Newsgram. Twitter @Nainamishr94

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Just imagine the level to which politicians are now stooping down to appease the minority for their valuable votes. This is next level of appeasement politics.

But this Trinamool poster is not the first time that the Bengal CM has done so to gain minority votes.

When Mamata Banerjee was the Railway Minister, a railway advertisement was issued in 2010 with a photo of her offering Namaz. This came months before Bengal Polls for the Assembly.

The picture has also come under fire considering the Bangladeshi illegal immigrant problem that the state is bearing.

Furthermore, known for her quick responses to decisions considering nation at large, the Bengal CM has remained silent on the Supreme Court judgment that said Triple Talaq is unconstitutional. This too has not gone down well with her many critiques.

Banerjee, known for her offhand remarks on matters, chose the political strategy of silence. When asked about her view on the Supreme Court’s verdict, she refused to answer the question.

It is quite obvious that the Namaz offering Mamata Banerjee has avoided discussions and controversies on any topic related to minority communities.

One of the five triple talaq petitioners to Supreme Court, Ishrat Jahan, has sought protection for herself and family after intimidation from the neighborhood. She has written to the CM regarding the same. As of yet, there has been no response.

This tight lipped attitude coming from Bengal CM has not gone down well with the public including the Muslim community who stands divided over her stance.

– Prepared by Saksham Narula of NewsGram. Twitter: @Saksham2394

NewsGram is a Chicago-based non-profit media organization. We depend upon support from our readers to maintain our objective reporting. Show your support by Donating to NewsGram. Donations to NewsGram are tax-exempt.